EDUCATION. 
266 
fame falutary confequences will flow from the practice, 
if it fhould be imitated in all the nurferies to the univer- 
fity. A mafter cannot bellow an hourly attention on the 
younger fcholars of a large ferninary. It is certain, that 
the firft elements may be even better taught by diligent 
affiftants of inferior learning and abilities. Patience, at¬ 
tention, and temper, are the principal qualities required 
in teaching the accidence ; for the method will be pre- 
fcribed by the book itfelf, or by the fuperintendant. But 
it is indifpenfably requifite, that the matter (hotild exa¬ 
mine every clafs at lead once in a fortnight. The con- 
fcioufnefs that an account is to be given of the degree of 
improvement made within a limited time, will caufe a 
greater degree of diligence both in the fcholars and in the 
alliflants. Periodical examinations at fhort intervals, will 
caufe the mind to retain what it receives. The mind is 
prone to indolence, and will fuffer that to efcape, which 
no immediate hopes or fears induce it to preferve. But 
wlien it forefees the certainty of a drift enquiry into its 
acquifitions, it will not only retain much which it would 
otherwife lofe, but will retain it with accuracy. Periodi¬ 
cal examinations alfo furnilh occafion for the difplay of 
excellence, and will confequehtly excite a defire to make 
a good appearance. Praifes, rewards, difgrace, and pu- 
niihment, bellowed as they are refpeftively merited, in 
the fight of the whole fchool, will have a better eifeft 
than when given feparately, and in private. 
By being accu domed to give unpremeditated refponfes 
to unexpected interrogations, the mind will acquire tliofe 
valuable habits, a quicknefs of recolleftion, and a readi- 
nefs of reply. So many, and fo important, are the bene¬ 
ficial effects of this praftice, that we might confidently 
recommend it to all, as fecuring and increafing valuable ' 
improvement in every flage of the fcholar’s progrefs, and 
in every part of his purfuits, while under fcholaftic or 
academical authority. 
Much has been faid and written on the exercifes and’ 
diverfions of a fchool during the allotted hours of relaxa¬ 
tion. Boys are under great reftraint and confinement in 
the time of (tudy. In the intervals of application, there¬ 
fore, they fhould have every indulgence confident with 
moral and perfonal fafety. .They fhould contrive their 
own amnfements, and vary and difcontinue them at their 
own pleafure. They wilt often take violent exercife; 
but violent exercife is neceffary at their age to promote 
growth, and is rendered more defirable on account of the 
many hours which they fpend in a fedentary employment. 
They will run rifques ; but by thefe they will gain expe¬ 
rience, and a neceffary degree of courage. Parents there¬ 
fore often err, from an amiable caufe indeed, when their 
folicitude for the fafety of their children would debar 
them the enjoyment of diverfions common to their age, 
though attended with fome degree of danger. In fpite 
of every precaution, boys of fpirit will engage in the 
ufual amufements.of their equals ; and, if they have been 
confined, will naturally run into greater extremes than 
their companions. It cannot be denied, that the exer- 
cifes and employments of the body, whatever they may 
be, produce a powerful efFeft on the difpofition. Some 
idea of the turn of mind is ufually and jultly formed from 
common occupations. Thofe of the effeminate kind fu- 
perinduce effeminacy ; weaknefs of mind, no lefs than 
imbecility of body. Something fimilar happens in puerile 
diverfions. The boy who has been kept in leading-firings 
to.o long, and reftrained from hardy fports by the fond- 
nefs Of his mother, will fcarcely ever become a man ; or 
poffefs that becoming fpirit which can enable him to aft 
Jiis part with propriety. Health, vigour, cheerfulnefs, 
and a great degree of mental flrength, depend on a liberal 
ule of thofe aftive exercifes which conffitute, in modern 
ages, the gymnaftic part of education. We ought only 
to wifh for fo much reftraint as may keep boys from vi¬ 
cious actions, from vulgar company, from a habit of 
quarrelling, and from feats of imminent and real danger. 
The fenior boys ought to be encouraged in athletic 
exercifes, for other and more important reafons. At the 
age of feventeen or eighteen, they fhould be indulged, 
even for a moral purpofe, in every manly fport and exer¬ 
cife, confident with fafety, good company, health, and 
economy. The propenfities td vicious pleafures are often 
at that age impetuous. Nothing tends more to divert 
their courfe, and leffen-their influence, than a keen love 
of innocent amnfements, and an ardent purfuit of them 
continued even to fatigue. 
The above reafoning flrongly (hews the neceflity of ho¬ 
lidays, or of the life of relaxation in a ftudious life. The. 
world is fufficiently convinced of its utility and neceffity. 
It fends back the fludent with frefh fpirits to his purfuits; 
and it is no lefs delirable to the inftruftor than to the 
fcholar. The employment of a fuperintendant of a fchool 
is full of care and labour; and he requires holidays for 
the fake of his health, and for the regulation of his do- 
meftic affairs. Yet, in the greater part of fchools, there 
appear by far too many holidays. There are two forts 
of holidays, which (hould be confidered diltinftly; the 
breakings up or vacations, and the faints days and public 
feftivals. Vacations are c.f indifpenfahle neceflity: they 
give the parent an opportunity of becoming acquainted 
with his child’s improvements, by placing him, during 
feveral weeks, under his immediate infpeftion. They 
enable the boy to fee fomething of the world, by intro¬ 
ducing him to his own family, and their vifitors. They 
contribute alike to the pleafure of the boy, the mailer, 
and the indulgent parent. For this reafon they are, and 
have been, univerf dly adopted, in all great and eftablifhed 
fchoels. But the queftion arifes, how long (hould the holi¬ 
days continue, and how often be repeated ? I n lbme of our 
moll ancient fchools, the breakings up happened not lefs 
than four ,times a-year; and they now continue twice in 
the year, generally for lix weeks. Belides this, every red- 
letter day, as it is called, is religioully obferved as a play- 
day. Upon the whole, it appears, that not above half 
the year is really devoted to indruftion ; yet there is not 
the lead fliadow of a reafon for allowing fo large a num¬ 
ber of holidays. Thefe abundant holidays are certainly 
produdtive of a great lofs of time, which might be more 
ufefully employed; befides the forgetting of thofe things 
which were already acquired, the contracting of idle and 
vicious habits, a difrelifli of the employments, and an 
impatience of the confinement, of a well-regulated fchool. 
With refpeft to the conftant obfervation of faints days 
in fchools, what other reafon can be honellly given for 
it, than the eafe and accommodation of the mailers and 
ufhers ? Can a boy pay a proper refpeft to a faint’s day 
better, than by improving his mind, and endeavouring to 
acquire knowledge upon it ? Are half the precious days 
of childhood and youth to be thrown away without im¬ 
provement, becaufe they are marked with a red letter in 
the almanac? The praftice of keeping them at fchools 
indiferiminately, as at prefent, is manifeltly abfurd, and 
a relic of popery. A few (ingle holidays (hould, how¬ 
ever, be allowed, in the intervals between the half-yearly 
returns of vacation. But thefe (hould be granted in the 
following manner : if any boy has performed an exercife 
of remarkable merit, or made an extraordinary profi¬ 
ciency, or behaved, in any refpeft, fo as to deferve dif- 
tinClion, let a holiday be conceded in honour of him, 
and let it be called his holiday. This fails not of excit¬ 
ing a fpirit of emulation ; and while it effeftually con¬ 
tributes to the purpofe of neceffary recreation, it will alfo 
promote a general improvement. 
Many evils are apt to refult from negligent and impro¬ 
per behaviour to children at home during the holidays. 
There are few houfes where fomething does not inadver¬ 
tently pafs, which, though in itfelf innocent, corrupts a 
young and inexperienced mind. In the converfation even 
of perfons of judgment and virtue, fomething will fre¬ 
quently drop, which may give a wrong and pernicious 
bias to the mind of a boy. Yet under the management 
of virtuous and judicious parents, the holidays may be 
rendered 
